


Bad Raimundo

by BunnyDawn



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Allies to Enemies, Divergent Timelines, Enemies to Friends, Escape, Friends to Lovers, Fugitives, Imprisonment, Jack likes inventing and building things and is actually good at it, Kidnapping, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Possible Redemption, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Regret, Stupid old story i thought I had lost, Trust Issues, Unrequited Love, trust building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-01-10 23:16:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18417908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyDawn/pseuds/BunnyDawn
Summary: The basic premise of the story is set in the original series when Raimundo switched sides.  Except when he gets bored and lonely he is allowed to choose a companion.  He ends up taking Jack and  fairly quickly realizes he wants something more than someone to play video games with.  I tried to handle the subject matter with care, and a lot of the details are recounted in flashbacks or dialogues.  I think it is handled fairly delicately by the characters.  The story is more about Jack's recovery and Raimundo's descent into obsession.





	1. Defective Raimundo

**Author's Note:**

> This is an awful story that was inspired (sort of) by one I read on Adultfanfiction.net years ago. I had taken it off FF.net and saved it on an old flash-drive. Unfortunately the flash drive got damaged. I lost about half of the fiction and I'm trying to piece it back together from what little I have and what I remember (Luckily some of the drafts were on my hard drive. I want to try to rewrite it and improve the story at the same time. I am aware I have lots of unfinished works but I want to put what I have of this onto the site.

_**'Betrayer, liar, traitor,'**_ He chanted the words in his own head. How could he do this? He was supposed to be one of the good guys. Looking at the body of an unconscious Jack Spicer; he sighed and hoisted the dead weight over his shoulder.

He would never hear the end of this but it didn't matter. Neither of them belonged there, on the side of good. He wouldn't hurt his friends...were they even his friends now? They were on opposite sides and they all knew it. Still he'd not hurt them. Jack though was a different story. Being evil didn't mean he wouldn't get lonely. Jack had seemed to switch sides, but Raimundo knew he wouldn't hold out. Not like the others.

Jack was weak willed and spineless. He was annoying and whiny. So why had he ripped the goth genius from his prison and left the others who refused to join him? Probably the power fantasy.  Jack was his lesser, skinny and lacking strength or training.  Jack had struggled only for a little bit.  The introduction of pain had put that to a stop. If he felt remorse he didn't show it. Raimundo had needed to subdue the other boy.

 

* * *

 

_...Raimundo stood on the edge of a great precipice looking at the three remaining Xiaolin dragons and Jack Spicer all contained in a magical floating prison that resembled a bird cage built to hold a pterodactyl._

_"Last chance guys. Join us and forget about this hero stuff. Is it really that bad being on the Heylin side?" He asked pointedly. He was looking more at his former friends than at Jack._

_"Are you kidding?" Kimiko shouted and crossed her arms. She turned away._

_Omi looked sadly at him, "It is you, my friend, who should reconsider. This is a most grievous mistake."_

_Clay only shook his head and looked away. At a loss for words._

_Dojo peeked from under Clay's hat frowning but he didn't waste his words.  His heart ached for the young man who had given in to his inner darkness._

_"Spicer?" He'd looked toward Jack expectantly. Jack looked terrified. His hands shook but he wrapped his trembling fingers around the bars and shook his head. That had been unexpected. He was prepared for the boy to fall on his knees and beg for mercy. Raimundo glared and snapped his fingers angrily. The floating prison came closer and Raimundo opened the door. He grabbed Jack by the collar and jerked him out of the relative safety of the cage. The door slammed closed before any of the monks could make an escape.  Jack stumbled and fell against him knocking his chin painfully against Raimundo's shoulder. Rai growled and pushed him off in irritation. Jack flinched back._

_He couldn't believe he was doing this. He didn't even fathom why he was doing this. Being lonely made people do strange things and a real person...even Jack Spicer was better than some conjured up companion._

_"D-don't hurt me!" Jack cried out cringing back until he almost fell off the ledge they were standing on. Raimundo smirked as the boy flailed trying to regain his balance. Part of him wanted to push the boy back and watch him fall. The logical side of him said that would be counter productive. Jack was the least likely to rebel, and the easiest to subdue if he did get a sudden boost of courage. He grabbed Jack's wrist and yanked him back harshly. Jack yelped as Raimundo twisted his arm behind him and pulled him tight to his chest. It almost felt intimate but the sense that Raimundo was mocking him told him otherwise._

_"Don't be a fool. Don't try anything Spicer, and you might find this life to be better than living in a cage." Raimundo felt Jack trying to break his grip. He pulled his arm up until Jack screamed in pain. He felt the pale boy go slack and let go of his arm. Inside he felt a tinge of guilt, but as far as the monks knew he had enjoyed hurting Spicer._

_"Hey! Jack might be annoying but that's no reason to hurt him like that!" Kimiko growled. Raimundo pretended to ignore her. Even if she was right. But he had a new evil image to uphold. He waved the others off and the cage disappeared into the darkness of the night. He would come back in a few days and try to talk sense into them once again._

 

* * *

  
  
Jack stifled a whimper when he felt a hand sliding up the back of his thigh and cupping his ass. He was still being held up by Raimundo. His knees nearly buckled when his arm was released. The hand on his butt squeezed through all the layers of clothes. "That jacket has to go...in fact I hate it all...the pants, the boots that ugly t-shirt and those goggles," Jack felt a hand, the one not groping his ass, tear the goggles off his head and the sound of shattering glass as they were thrown to the ground broke his heart. He loved those goggles. He was then slung uncomfortably over the Brazilian's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.  Jack stayed limp hoping Raimundo would think he had passed out.

 

* * *

  
  
Walking down the halls Raimundo's hand started rubbing Jack's thigh. Jack was kind of heavy but he was willing to bet the coat, all the leather and metal on his person and the broken helipack had to add a lot of weight. Raimundo had no idea what he was doing, but his hand was molesting Jack Spicer! He had no interest in boys before he met Spicer...Jack almost didn't count as a boy really. OK, maybe he was a little bit attracted to Spicer. Maybe it was the power trip...Maybe it was the horny teenager in him thinking he could finally lose his virginity. He'd never have done that at the temple. Being a monk meant swearing celibacy. No sex! Were those monks crazy?!!

  
This might work out. Jack had a slender figure. He probably looked a lot better without all that makeup and pasty skin. Raimundo wondered why he didn't even think of Someone like Catnappe. She was a cat freak, sure, but she had a nice curvy body and he would bet she knew how to use that big mouth of hers.

  
Jack cringed at his molestation, but stayed silent. Raimundo was very aware he was awake. Rai pushed the jacket up so he could get a better feel. Jack's butt was firm and smooth. You would think a pudding eating recluse would be softer than him, but Jack was lean. Perhaps genetics blessed him with the ability to eat that junk and not gain weight.

  
"I think you and I, Spicer, are going to have fun," Raimundo smirked and only felt a little guilt when he pushed his hand between Jack's thighs and the evil boy genius gasped and shivered. Playing the villain seemed to be coming naturally to him.

"No need to pretend you're not awake Jack." The boy stilled himself. Raimundo continued speaking, "If I put you down you are going to behave? No trying to run, no fighting back...no 'smart' ideas."

Jack nodded silently afraid to speak at this point.

"I can't hear you," Rai said impatiently.

"Ye-yeah," Jack whispered.

"Yeah..what?"  Rai prompted.

"Yes I promise," Jack hissed, "I'll behave." Jack was starting to really hate the Brazilian.

"Call me master," Raimundo purred.

"Ma-master?" Jack squeaked.

"Very nice," Rai let the boy slide down slowly keeping his hand well acquainted with Jacks firm ass.

As soon as Jack was released he began rubbing his arm. It really hurt but thank god it didn't seem broken or even dislocated. Ok he had a very low threshold for pain. He was a weak coward...what could a person expect.

"...take it off," Rai ordered. Jack looked confused.

"The trench coat...in fact I want you down to your shirt and pants. We'll get you something better to wear after you get a shower. Your makeup is running." The coat was forced off his shoulders making his arm scream in protest. The helipack came off with the coat and he began kicking his over sized boots off.

Then Raimundo surprised Jack by gently rubbing his thumb under his left eye where the pencil mark was. It smudged giving him the look of having had little sleep. Rai repeated this under the other eye and gave a shrill giggle that terrified Jack.

"You look like a panda now. I think I'll get a panda costume for you." Rai smirked. Then he pushed the boy back forcing him to turn around or trip on his own feet. "Come on Spicer panda." Rai shoved him down a long corridor. Jack had a sinking feeling that he was going to regret not fighting now, but he was too scared to stand up for himself. He looked over his shoulder seeing a servant seem to materialize from the shadows and put his belongings into a trash bag. He already regretted not fighting.

 

* * *

 

 

...In the darkness the magic possessed armor forced the three monks into a cell. None spoke until the things had left. Dojo came out from hiding under Clay's hat.

"What was that with Raimundo and Jack. I hate to admit it but I'm worried for him," Kimiko sighed. She slid down the rough stone wall hugging her knees.

"I don't like it neither," Clay chimed in, "That boy is a snake in the grass, but he did help us; and seems like Rai has gone 'round the bend. Bet that witch put some kinda weird spell on 'im. Made 'im crazy."

None of them knew what to think. It was dark, they were tired and frightened. Not just for Jack but themselves too.

 

* * *

  
Days or weeks later, they had lost count. A strange sight came to them; light from a small lantern. The lantern hurt their eyes--not having seen any light even when meals were brought to them.

Wrapped in a short cloak Jack Spicer limped to them silently. He rattled the lock and then suddenly the door was opened.

"Jack!" The monks spilled out. He held up an hand that seemed raw and burnt. He looked up and they followed his example. Hovering overhead guards were patrolling. One passed directly over and Clay tried to pull Jack into the cell to hide. The boy flinched back and fell on his bottom. He grunted painfully. He dropped the keys and kicked back until he hit a wall and closed his eyes. The century passed and the three walked out cautiously.

"What has happened to you Jack Spicer?" Omi asked running to his side. The small monk placed his hand on Jack's shoulder and Jack gasped quietly.

"I'm willin' to bet nothin' good...Listen we need to git outta here for' we're discovered," Clay Pulled Omi away from Jack realizing the now silent goth was really unhappy with the contact. "You commin' with us Jack?" Clay asked gently. He held his hand out not expecting Jack to accept the kindness. He was surprised when a hopeful look crossed Jack's partially hidden face. Timid fingers reached out, flinching when his calloused fingers touched an even rougher hand. He slid his hand into Clay's and only grimaced a bit when the cowboy closed his fingers around Jacks.  Clay helped him to his feet and looked doubly concerned as he noticed Jack's swollen skin. His hand was burnt. One of Raimundo's new favorite pass-times involved hot things against jack's skin.

 

* * *

 

 

_Jack had been led to a large suite. It was filled with expensive furniture, plush red carpet, and a huge bed. There was an adjoining bathroom. Jack felt hands on his shoulders. He was shoved into the bathroom where he stumbled and tripped on a red shag rug. He found that towels soap shampoo razors and shaving cream had been set out. There was also tooth paste and a new tooth brush sitting on the counter he guessed it was for him._

  
_He was clean and makeup free as ordered by his new master. He had a pair of dark bluejeans that barely covered his hips, and no shirt._  
_"I always thought that was face paint..."_

_He had been changing his clothes like he was ordered. Jack flinched grabbing for a shirt that was no longer on the bed. Raimundo held black cotton away from the boy and smirked. "I like the jeans, but no shirt," There were no shoes for him and the socks lay forgotten._

_"So, are you wearing body paint or are you really white as paper naturally?" Raimundo smirked and walked forward. His clothed chest pressing into Jack's bare torso. Raimundo was broader than him. He had already known that. Rai was muscular and stronger than him.The only thing he lacked was a couple inches in height.  Though the former Xaiolin monk was shorter, Jack felt small and vulnerable. He was really, really scared. He had no where to run.  He couldn't fight. His only means of escape had been crushed in the fray proceeding their imprisonment. On top of that Raimundo had flipped his lid. He must be crazy to even imply what his body implied to the goth._

_When he forced Jack on his back on the luxurious bed and straddled him Jack knew it was too late.  Jack was prepared to scream his lungs out as strong hands grabbed his wrists and pushed him back. When he felt lips crushing against his mouth he screamed, but it was muffled and inside he knew nobody was coming to rescue him here. He was rewarded with a tongue thrusting into his protesting mouth and eyes glaring at him just daring him to bite down. Jack whimpered and closed his eyes; being forced to endure unwanted contact. Fear was powerful. In one it fueled lust in the other it prompted obedience._

 

* * *

  
The small dragon now free of the magical cell was able to grow to his larger form, "Hurry we gotta go!"

Omi, Kimiko and Clay climbed on Dojo's back. Jack hesitated. He looked back at the evil fortress placed on the imposing cliff-side. Then he turned. A gust of wind caught his cloak tearing the hood off.

Clay's eyes widened. Jack hurriedly pulled the hood back up but the damage was done. He was sure they would reject him now, but Clay held his hand out, "Hurry partner."

Jack nodded and gave his hand to Clay who hoisted him up between himself and the Japanese girl. Clay leaned in making Jack shiver in terror, "What the hell'd they do to ya' Jack?" There was no mocking in his tones only anger and concern. Jack thought about it and whimpered quietly. He was a ruin. There was no way he would ever be accepted by anyone now. He was lucky the Xiaolin monks sense of duty would not allow them to leave him behind.

 

* * *

 

Raimundo woke with a searing pain behind his eyes. He growled and put his hand out to find his pet. He got a hand full of the plush red carpet and vaguely remembered the altercation that left him unconscious on the floor. Jack's shackles were unlocked laying at the foot of the bed.

He had not spoken since Raimundo ripped away his virginity and put him in chains . He had been timid silent and obedient...But last night something must have snapped in the albino. He fought back, or tried to. He screamed and cursed at Raimundo daring him to try anything. Rai laughed it off. He was horny and wanted to touch the soft unmarred back of his pet. Jack pushed him away and Raimundo retaliated by knocking the thinner boy into the dresser in the corner.  He ripped jacks underwear off and pushed Jack in the air intending to take him against the oak chest of drawers, but instead a heavy brass lamp crashed into the back of his head. He fell and Jack must have gotten his keys!

The former monk knew he must have gone totally crazy. He thought of Jack.  Treating Jack like a cherished pet one minute then beating him the next. He didn't know why he go so jealous, but if any of the other Heylin warriors looked cross-ways at Jack his blood boiled.

He blamed his pet for looking like a slut, except he was the one that provided Jack's clothes.  Going so far as to choose his outfits each day.  Outfits that made him look way too sexy.  He called Jack a whore and threatened to pimp him out. Then he'd want to sleep late and cuddle Jack even when the other boy showed obvious contempt in their physical contact. He was pretty sure that Jack's only experience with sex had been when they had...when he had...he could not make himself admit what he had done.  Maybe Jack had been reluctant but there was no way **he** could do that to anyone.

When Wuya suggested branding Jack he had, enthusiastically. He didn't know why but he couldn't help himself.  It almost made him sick, but it also had made him feel powerful. He marked Jack's perfect skin up, scarring him and telling him that he could never find love with such a deformed body. He was lucky Raimundo still wanted him as a pet. Then he took Jack again. Something in his mind screamed that he would never have done those things in a million years, but he remembered clearly raping Jack and loving it. He wanted to throw up.

He also wanted Jack. He alerted the guards. Their orders were to bring Jack back unharmed, but he wondered if that would happen. His little pet had flown the coop, and probably taken his old friends with him.

It seemed weird that every time he and Wuya talked or were even in close quarters he'd immediately go off and rage against Jack. It was almost as if she were manipulating him somehow. He clenched his fists. If she had made him rape Jack and scar him, and nearly break his spirit...He wanted Jack back so badly. His head ached. He felt bile rising in his throat. Any chance of happiness with Jack Spicer was ruined! Any chance of Jack having a semblance of a normal life was also ruined.

 

* * *

 

Clay worried about Jack. He knew something awful had happened but he was to afraid to ask. The scars on Jacks face, over his eye. his left eye was welded shut by the burns and bruises. His neck had a mark around it...like he had been a pup that grew too big for its collar.

Jack may not have realized it but the wind revealed more than just his face. Jack was wearing nothing under that short brown cloak that he must have had to steal. He was marked other places and bruised. His thighs were red and purple. Clay wasn't dumb. He knew what that meant.  He just didn't want to think Raimundo was capable of something so horrible. He didn't want attention called to it just yet. It was Jack's business, but he wasn't gonna let Jack face this alone.

 

* * *

 

They made their way home. They were not surprised, but still saddened none the less, to find their temple ransacked and destroyed. The monks seem to have been spared--there was no human carnage. The young monks looked around for clues Master Fung might have left for them. The pantry was left untouched and they cooked a simple meal.

Clay held a plate of food in front of Jack. The ever so timid boy shook his head sadly. He wasn't hungry. Clay frowned but didn't force the subject. Jack was thin, but not to the point of worrying. Making him eat might do more damage than good, and besides he was sure the pale genius was afraid of showing his scared up face.

"We cannot stay here long," Omi suddenly announced.

He wanted to be a good strong monk, but he was a child still. His lip quivered. This was his home. He had never known another. Never known a family before the monks. He might as well call Master Fung his father. Clay knew that their teacher loved Omi as a son. There was no sign of the monks but also no sign that they were dead...not here, but probably they were being held somewhere. None of the young monks wanted to think about that just yet.

A quiet whimper caught everybody's attention. It was followed by a loud wail. Jack was suddenly very loud. He pulled his bare knees up to his chest and moaned piteously. Heart broken wails assaulted the Xiaolin dragons ears and nobody knew what to do.

"Its OK Jack. Its OK," Kimiko tried to hug him but he shrieked and pushed her away.

"Don't!" Jack's shrill voice ordered, "Don't touch me! Please!"

"...Please don't..." He whined and curled in on himself, "I think I killed Raimundo." Jack hissed it out painfully.

"What?" The three yelled at Jack.

"I-I killed Raimundo," He hiccuped, "I smashed a lamp against his head, and I took his keys." Jack took his less injured hand to his mouth and bit on the knuckle as scream after scream rang in his throat until he was too horse to make anymore noise.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He chanted in his broken voice. He pulled the cloak tighter around himself without realizing he had exposed his brutalized lower body.

"Oh god," Kimiko squeaked and looked away.

Omi looked concerned but still too innocent to realize why there was blood staining the bench under him and that the bruises were from being violated.

"I'm gonna be sick! That's just _sick!_ " Kimiko croaked.

"Hush," Clay looked pointedly at the girl. He took charge and approached Jack, "Spicer partner, Lets find some clothes for you and maybe you can take a bath. It might help."

"No," Jack shook his head. His open eye was cloudy and his pale skin was slick with sweat. Clay put a hand on his arm. Jack flinched and tried to pull away. "He made me take a shower then he...he... ** _NO!_** "

"Ria-Raimundo isn't here. We ain't gonna hurt you. Promise," Clay gently held onto Jack's arm and began to slide up his shoulder gently. He cupped Jack's face and hissed at the heat coming off his skin. "We ain't gonna hurt ya Jack."

Jack closed his eyes tight but nodded, "I-I know."

"You got a fever, I think," Clay kept his tone gentle. He smiled at Jack when the boy opened his good eye, "A cool bath'll make ya feel better. Kimiko can find ya some robes for Jack to wear?"

He nodded at the still green looking girl, and sent a silent glare that Jack couldn't see when she didn't act immediately. She looked at Jack remorsefully and left.

"Omi can ya help Kimi?" Clay begged. He wanted to talk to Jack alone and he didn't feel like explaining what rape was to a 12 year old boy who had been sheltered from the horrors of the outside world all his life.

"Will Jack be OK?" He asked in a worried voice.

"Just go," Clay didn't mean to be harsh but he had a feeling Jack needed to talk and probably he shouldn't be left alone in the bath either. Clay stood and hoisted Jack up with an arm under his knees and one behind his back. Jack yelped and tried to get away, but Clay was firm.

"Its all right Jack," Clay frowned, "I'm a man o' my word. I aint gonna hurt ya." Jack sniffed back some more tears, but he stopped concously struggling. His entire body was trembling, but he couldn't help it. Clay didn't yell at him or demean him at least, and he was starting to feel safe for once in even longer then the two and a half weeks of torture he had endured. He hadn't been safe before that either.

"Sorry," Jack whispered.

"Nothin' to be sorry fer," Clay smiled softly, "Yer scared. You've been hurt an' by a man I woulda trusted with my life not but a couple weeks ago."

Jack whimpered again. He was such a loser, so weak. Useless!  Now he was being taken care of by his enemies. He let out a shaky sigh. They weren't really his enemies though.

Clay carried him to the bathhouse and helped him as much as he could. He didn't look at Jack's body and Jack was grateful. He was a walking horror show. Nobody needed to see that.

For his part. Clay was trying to not look. It wasn't easy. Jack was certainly striking to look upon. He didn't want Jack getting scared that He'd do what Raimundo must have. If not Raimundo someone...Jack wasn't that good an actor, and those bruises were real. The heat radiating off the young genius was very worrisome, he probably had an infection.

Clay never looked at a boy in a sexual way. He didn't know if he should find slender hips, a flat chest and toned legs appealing. Were his face not marred, Jack would have been pretty...had always been really pretty, pretty like a girl. He was feminine. Clay felt the need to treat Jack Spicer like he would a lady. He had been taught that ladies deserved respect, reverence, and sometimes romance. He wouldn't be doing the third thing even if Jack had not been in this condition, but he might have been more appreciative of the lean gymnast body and the artistic fingers. The pouty lower lip and the big, bright red eyes--err eye. Woah-kay...maybe he needed to go find a filly and have some romance, or check to make sure there wasn't some kind of aphrodisiac in the food they just ate.

He heard the quiet splash as Jack lowered himself into the large tub. Jack sighed appreciatively as his burns and bruises were soothed, "If ya need somethin' Just holler, 'kay?" Clay leaned aginst a wall still averting his gaze but not leaving.

"Ok," Jack let his head flop back against the lip of the tub. He had the urge to scrub but he felt a little bit more control now. He knew that scrubbing would not help him. It'd only make him hurt worse.

"Jack..?" Clay started but hesitated.

"Mmm?" Jack hummed at him. Clay looked over at the boy sitting in water up to his shoulders.

"If you wanna talk I'm here fer ya." Clay said as a blush stained his cheeks. He averted his gaze once more.

"..." Jack was silent. Unsure if he wanted to remember any of it let alone talk about it. In the end he whispered out a harsh, "Maybe...someday."


	2. Run Away Monks

After his bath.  Jack got dressed and was led  back to the dining hall where a mat had been laid  out.  His open eye drooped and his steps faltered.  Clay ended up carrying the poor abused boy.

"You rest up Jack,"  Clay covered him with a spare blanket and tucked the boy in.  Even as he dosed off, a troubled and frightened look washed over his face.  As soon as he appeared to be sleeping the Monks turned away and sat at the table.

"What should we do," Kimiko hissed.  She nodded over her shoulder to where Jack lay  curled on his side clutching the blanket in a not very restful sleep.

"What can be done," Clay answered firmly, "For starters.  Find  all the supplies  we can.  We cant stay here long.  Omi's right.  They will come lookin' for us."

"We **need** to rest," Kimiko spoke a little too loudly.  Clay glared at her and nodded toward Jack.  She clammed up but glared back at him.

"How long," Omi asked in a worried tone.

"Probably already someone on their way as we speak," Clay guessed, "We need to gather supplies, 'n get outa here before they find us."

The others didn't argue.  Clay was older, more mature, and even with his country boy laid back persona there was wisdom residing in him.

"Ok...but should one of us stay and watch out for Jack?"  Kimiko offered.

"I'll stay!" Omi volunteered excitedly.

Clay looked at the youngest of them and sighed.  He squatted and leveled Omi with a hard stare, "If you stay with 'em you need to be quiet little partner."  Omi nodded eagerly and opened his mouth wide taking in air.  He was about to say something but Clay held up his hand and looked over at Jack.  He was covered in a blanket but his body was wracked with shivers.  It may have been the fever but the cowboy suspected it was most likely sheer terror.  Omi followed his gaze and frowned in realization.

"Oh, yes! We wouldn't want to wake friend Jack!"  He whispered loudly.

Clay shushed him again.  He whispered much softer than the exuberant boy, "Have ya ever heard of a game called church mouse?"  
Omi shook his head to indicate he did not know the name.  He opened his mouth again but Clay interrupted him again.

"Don't speak.  I'll tell you 'bout it.  My momma taught me.  Its a game of quiet.  You must stay quieter than a mouse, not even a squeak.  Like when we meditate with Master Fung."  Omi's face fell at the mention of their missing mentor.  Clay cursed to himself, but he continued, "Sorry Omi but this is important.  Jack...he's not doing good.  We need to give him time to rest and plenty of quiet.  All I want you to do is come get me if he wakes up, or if someone comes lookin' for us."

"I...I will endeavor to be the quietest mouse in the temple."  His tone was harsh but at least he was quiet.  Clay patted his head affectionately and turned to see Kimiko waiting by the low table.  She was watching Jack with a pensive expression but she snapped to attention when Clay placed a large hand on her shoulder.  They nodded and each went to gather supplies.  Omi approached Jack's huddled, quivering form.  He took up the lotus position and stretched his arms out to meditate, letting his senses touch the air and caress Jack's spirit.  The boy's expression melted into one of calm.  Jack's shuddering also lessened in his sleep as if sensing the protective aura the Youngest Xaiolin monk was emitting.

 

* * *

 

"How could you let that worm escape?  Now he and your little friends are gone!" Wuya snarled at him.  They stood in the dungeon outside the dingy cell the young monks had been locked in.  The keys dangled from her fingers.  They had been discarded just outside the cell.

Raimundo was glaring at the floor.  He didn't say anything, but he really wanted to ring the witch's neck.

The Heylin witch turned and called a minion that Rai didn't even bother to look at.  He walked away.

"Where do you think you are going?"  Wuya had turned, shouting at him.

She flinched when Raimundo spun around. His eyes were glowing, "I'm going out."  He hissed.  Then he left.  He had to go grab the golden tiger claws.  He was going to find them and he was going to bring Jack back.

 

* * *

 

 

The older monks made haste and gathered what they could.  The sun was rising, later than it should have. the sky didn't seem as bright as it had before they had been imprisoned.   Clay was holding Jack.  The sleeping form was mostly still.  Every now and then his body would tremble but he didn't stir.  Clay was willing to bet he'd not had much sleep in the last few weeks.  None of them had, they'd been kept on plain rice and water in a chilly damp cell, but at least Kimi, Omi and himself hadn't been forced to endure such brutal treatment.

"Where can we go?  We can't go home," Kimiko's voice faltered she dropped her bundle next to Dojo who had taken his large form.

"Don't rightly know Kimi...I suggest somewhere far from here.  America maybe?  You grab some street clothes?  We probably shouldn't be seen wearin' our robes," The girl nodded the glanced at Omi and over to Jack.  "We'll have to get them something to wear.  Maybe I could use my credit card once.  I have no clue if they would even think of following my paper trail, but better safe than Sorry.  Lets get some clothes in Japan.  I want to call my dad and warn him, but well...She held up her cellphone.  The screen was smashed to the point that she would cut her fingers if she tried to swipe it. 

She frowned, "My laptop was smashed too but at least they didn't take my sim card...I could get a new phone, but maybe I should call my dad from a landline, and then we can high tail it to America?"  She looked to Clay for approval. 

He smiled gently and nodded.

Dojo turned his body looking down at them, "Lets get this show on the road kids.  I sense some magic coming our way."

They climbed up on the dragon, piling their meager possessions on his back.  As soon as he was sure they were secure he took off.

 


	3. Old Enemies or New Allies

The sun had risen. Dojo glided over the ocean with his four passengers. The feeling that someone was missing hung in the air, but nobody mentioned Raimundo for Jack's sake. Really they didn't want to think on it at all. His betrayal. His obvious contempt for Jack to have used him so poorly. Before this none of them would have claimed to like Jack, he was their enemy after all; but they were all just kids. Not one of them had felt anything like true hatred before; not even Jack.

That was apparent now more than ever as Omi sniffed suspiciously and Kimiko hugged her knees. Clay on the other hand was holding Jack against him. Jack struggled against it at first but Clay refused to let him down, saying, "You might fall." His stern voice and act put them all in the mind of a strict but loving father. The younger children allowed the Texan to take the huge burden of being the adult onto his broad shoulders. He was strong. He could take it.

That's what they thought, but he was hurting as much as them, maybe more. He had considered Raimundo his best friend. He loved Omi and Kimiko but they were more like younger siblings. Raimundo had been closer to his age and a guy. They had bonded being so far from home and dealing with a new culture. One that though Kimiko had to adjust to had not been near as alien to her as it was to them; the whole business of dragging children across the globe to train as monks in a Xiaolin temple; it had been so hard.  Leaving their friends and family behind, Clay had to admit he had been scared at first.  Children being sent on a world wide scavenger hunt? The icing on the cake being that they were the only ones standing between the world and the forces of evil; not to mention one thousand years of darkness.

Jack on the other hand. Oh man. That was something else entirely. None of them really knew much about Jack. The surface stuff...yeah. Jack was smart...well smart with tools, computers, and robots. Jack was not so smart with people. He seemed ill at ease with others like he had never had a friend. Maybe he hadn't. Maybe that's why he'd convinced himself he was evil...

Clay was unsure, but his whole evil image seemed like a facade. Maybe, to Jack, it was just about looking cool. Maybe his desire for world domination had been a cry for attention. He seemed too lonely and frail. Poor Jack had his dreams crushed, ripped, and annihilated. Whats worse the very person who'd ruined his plans had also taken him aginst his will and done horrible things to him.

Jack was sleeping fitfully, the unblemished side of his face lay flat against Clay's defined chest and his eyes moved under his lids indicating that the boy was dreaming. Clay looked at his face and gently stroked some of his bright red hair out of Jack's eyes. His palm lay on Jack's cheek just below the bottom of the scar which now looked less like a normal burn and more like a branded mark. The symbol looked like a Chinese character only more archaic. Jack snuggled closer to Clay and shivered. Clay moved his arm around the boy's shoulder and tugged the blanket he had up around him. He had decided that Jack was rather cute like this.

 _'Don't go gettin' attached boy,'_ He chided himself. Clay was starting to realize that he might be feeling things...things that would make his Daddy angry with him, and his Mamma cry. He couldn't help it. Jack happened to be rather pretty for a boy and so helpless and vulnerable. Clay was a man, well practically. He happened to like feeling strong, and powerful. He didn't want to rule over Jack but a fierce sense of protectiveness had filled him from the moment he realized what his former best friend had done to Jack. God if it could have been anything else. If it was a trick. It...not on Jack's part. Nobody could fake being this broken. His injuries were...are...very real and very concerning. Jack was still bleeding a little bit. It wasn't much. The boy blushed and protested when Kimiko had offered him a feminine napkin to catch the blood. It wasn't about the clothes getting stained but Clay thinks she was trying to make him more comfortable. It really only made him more upset in the end.  If his clothes had a little blood stain from Jack resting against him he could deal with it.

Jack was warm, and while not soft, he was delicate. Maybe a bit bony, but that might be from the last couple of weeks. Clay can't imagine that Raimundo would have made sure he got fed well. Clay sucked in air slowly and let it out. _'What cha' doin' ta me, you pretty little varmint,'_ He thought to himself. Clay lowered his chin to rest near Jack's temple and closed his eyes. Maybe a little sleep would help clear his mind.

 

* * *

 

Raimundo walked through the temple.  His fingers curled into fists then relaxed as he took a long breath.  There wasn't much left.  The monks, the elders were, of course, being held in their dungeon.  It was obvious that someone had been there recently...very recently.  There was food set out, partially eaten.  Rai checked their rooms and Clay's and Kimiko's stuff was gone.  Well those things that hadn't been destroyed in the raid right after they had been captured.  The vault was ransacked.  Their rooms all looked like a tornado had hit, looking for hidden Wu.  Rai crouched next to Kimiko's sleeping mat and picked up a cracked game cartridge, a limited addition 10th anniversary copy of Goo Zombies: Renegade, "Heh, Kimi probably cursed up a storm when she saw that."  He dropped the useless plastic and stood dusting off his pants.

His eyes were cold, dull.  They had been here, weather Jack was with them he didn't know.  Probably, he reasoned.  Jack had been in pretty bad shape.  Raimundo's mouth curled down into a deep frown. He drew the sword of storms and lifted it above his head.  He cleaved a small side table in two.  Some cosmetics and hair accessories that had been laying on it, forgotten, flew on impact making a bigger mess in the floor.

They had to have Jack.  Which meant Jack could be anywhere.  That was unacceptable for the Brazilian.  He wanted Jack.  Jack was probably scared shitless.  Rai wanted nothing more than to grab him and hold him.  To tell him how sorry he was.  He could make things better.  Make Jack love him.  He needed to feel Jack's body heat and smell the faint scent of sandal wood wafting off his powder white skin after a hot shower.

 

* * *

 

 

Kimiko looked around nervously as she left the electronic store.  Her friends were waiting in an alley across the street,  Jack was hiding behind Clay watching people pass on the sidewalk.  Nobody looked at them.  They all rushed away to their own destinations, almost blissfully unaware.  Occasionally someone would stop and look up at the sky that was a dull grey, then they would scurry away like frightened rabbits.  Otherwise they seemed emotionless.

It was around noon. It felt like a storm was approaching from the west, but there was no wind or clouds, just a haze of darkness.  Kimiko returned to them holding the new device to her ear.  The phone rang through to her dad's voice mail.  She sighed but waited for the beep, "Dad it's Kimi.  I need to warn you.  Something bad is happening.  I can't say much but you know that vacation home in Fiji?  Maybe you should go there and stay for a while...It might be nice to take a vacation..."  She was starting to feel tears sting her eyes, "I love you Daddy." She rubbed her eyes and ran back to her friends.  

"I don't know if we'll even have phone service much longer. Did you see the people? There's something wrong with them.  Like they're only half here,"  She swiped her screen and looked at the boys.  The others nodded at her.  She shrugged, "At least for now I have a new number. Well I warned my dad if either of you wanna call your folks?"  She held the phone out.  Clay took it and dialed.  He actually got someone, but frowned.

"Jessie,"  He spoke as calmly as possible, "I need to speak to Daddy...Its-its really important.  I understand its the middle of the night but this is an emergency.  Yes...Yes, please Jessie."  His voice cracked, but he seemed to deflate a little.  They waited, Clay was tapping his foot nervously.  Finally they could hear his father over the phone.

 _"What in tar-nation!  You realize what time it is boy?  ...Better be important! ...Woke up the whole dawgern house."_ He hollered through the phone at his son.

"I know Daddy, but its important.  You...you need to get Maw and Jessie and leave the ranch!" Clay begged.

 _"What are you on about boy?  We can't leave?  I have 1000 head a cattle that needs looking after!"_ Clay had to pull his ear from the device.

"Daddy, those people.  The ones we fight sometimes,"  Clay tried again, "They're up to something and I think they might go after ya'll."

His father seemed to go quiet, but clay was nodding.  He frowned hard.  "I know Daddy, please just think about it.  At least send Mamma and Jessie away.  Please...Yes sir.  I know, Baileys stand their ground.  Listen... I have to go, we can't sit around for too long.  Tell Mamma I love her...and Jessie too.  Please stay safe."

Clay ended the call.  He turned to Jack and tried to hand him the phone.  He shook his head, "They never answer their calls...They wouldn't believe me anyway but the Jack-Bots will protect them...I hope..."

Clay gave the phone back to Kimiko.  She popped off the back of the phone and tore out her sim-card.  she pinched it in half then threw it on the ground.  She smashed it with the heel of her boot grinding it into the cement, then She fished the new one out of the box and slid it into its place.  She tossed the old phone, the box and the receipt into a dumpster.

She held up her credit card and forced a smile, "Who's up for a shopping spree, and lunch.  Might as well eat a nice meal before we take off."  The Clay and Omi nodded their heads.  Jack didn't say anything, he was clinging to Clay like a security blanket.

 

* * *

  
The rumors were running rampant. First the once ghost now full fledged ruler of the world, Wuya made the scene and crushed the defenses of every country in the world. Then one of the very dragons assigned by fate to protect the world was standing at her side.  
Then a very prominent, if somewhat young and less respected figure, Jack Spicer, vanished. Some of those who knew Jack laughed it off. Some seemed delighted at the idea that Wuya finally dispatched the young genius. Others were not so happy. Jack had been very entertaining; and maybe, just maybe, a small handful of villains were worried about their ally.

It had been a few weeks, and now the rumors had been blown out of the water. Jack Spicer evil boy genius was officially missing, and apparently was missed if the posters and the alleged reward were to be believed.

The remaining disciples of the Xiaolin temple had "kidnapped" Jack Spicer from Wuya's evil fortress. A shaded figure grabbed the poster off a blacked out window and slunk back into the ally. Silently a gloved hand traced the boy's face. He had always thought Jack had a fine face. He liked the young boy quite a bit....not like that you pervert! Well maybe not then. He may be evil but he was not a child molester. Maybe if he had the opportunity once the boy had grown up a bit he might have pursued him.

Quietly the figure folded the paper and shoved it into his pants pocket. Then he headed out. There was a meeting to get too and he had to be more careful; the last hideout they had chosen had been found out too easily.

The way was dark the windows had been soaped and a few smashed. The once stately home had been vandalized to the extent that it was no longer recognizable. When all the valuables had been pilfered and a few fires in the upper building had been allowed to burn themselves out people finally left the Spicer mansion alone. Well not completely alone. The lab had been left untouched...or rather it had been protected. Jack's remaining robots had never been deactivated. Jack was truly a genius. His basement was reinforced and sealed. It could probably have survived a direct hit from a nuclear missile.

  
The figure slipped past the outer court yard and found the hidden exterior door. He rapped on the metal three times then waited for a response. A clanging of 5 knocks was his reply. He knocked again four times and waited. After a few moments he heard the hissing of the seal on the lab entrance opening and he smiled down at the robot awaiting.

  
"Welcome back Mr. Le Mime," The thing greeted in its metallic voice.

  
The mime chuckled silently and bowed. When the robot turned to go back down the stairs he followed. Once inside he threw off his cloak to reveal his red sweater and mime face paint. He took his small bowler hat out of the lining of his cloak and placed it on his head.  
It seemed that the boy had known that he would be betrayed by the witch eventually and had planned for it. Anyone who came looking for him would be watched silently and if they tried to steal/destroy anything they were 'taken care of.' It wasn't pleasant. Panda Bubba learned that the hard way. He claimed Jack had owed him money, but even if he did the gangster would never collect now.

  
Le Mime had come all the way from Paris to Jack's China home looking for him. He had been devastated to learn of Jack's disappearance. Tubbimura had also been worried about 'Master Jack.' Before long there was a small collection of people at least loosely associated with the Heylin side gathering to put forward a search effort for the boy. Not that they had much hope....not until now.

The mime took the poster out of his pocket and rubbed his thumb over the crisp new white paper. He unfolded it and lay it gently on the large work table in the center of Jack's lab. Le mime almost kept this news to himself worrying that some of the 'friends' of Jack Spicer only remains so until something more profitable came up. What if Jack was in hiding for fear of his life? He would never turn a comrad in like that but some of these former associates of Jack's might not be so trust worthy. However they would eventually find out about the reward. Better to know who knows and keep tabs on them then to risk someone going behind everyone's back finding Jack and returning him to a potentially unfriendly situation. The silent man had a very foreboding feeling that if Jack was alive still he would not remain so long after being reunited with the witch.

"What have you found here?" The obese ninja came forward and looked at the paper.

He looked at the mime and even through his mask the French mime could see a smile.

Neither of them were what you could call a friend to Jack Spicer. Tubbimura admitted that he had turned against Jack for money before but that he did truly feel terrible about the boy going missing. He wanted to make amends with the boy, maybe reclaim some of his honor in doing so.

"Don't," A voice rang out and the two men looked toward the stairs. A figure in the shadows looked at the two men who happened to be the only living beings in Jack's poorly lit lair.

Le Mime scowled and made a dirty gesture at the shadowed figure.

He laughed and stepped into the light. White hoodie hiding his tanned face, an evil smile plastered on his mouth, and eerie glowing green eyes. He continued, "Don't even think of turning him in for the reward. You'll only get rewarded with death."

"We had no such thoughts," The ninja barked angrily. The mime held his hand out to silence his ally.

"Don't trust Wuya. She's a witch," Raimundo giggled.

Le Mime made a face that said, 'Well duh.'

Raimundo slowly stomped down the stairs one at a time. The metallic clanking of his shoes echoed off the walls. His grin widened. He held out his arms showing he had come unarmed, "The others were...not as 'smart' as you two." Raimundo stepped into the light and red splotches showed violently against his formerly white shirt. His hands looked to be dirty too. The mime cringed slightly. The over weight ninja reached for his sword.

"Hey, I'm cool," Raimundo held his hands up higher, "That is, I'm cool if **YOU** are cool." The wind whipped around them seemingly out of nowhere. Even if the door were opened it hadn't been very windy outside.

Le Mime gestured to the poster and shook his head.  He wasn't in it for the money it was up to Raimundo to decide that. If he had to fight his way out of there he would, but he wasn't about to hand Jack over to either that witch or this disturbed young man.

 

* * *

  
  
The children had made their way to the Americas.  They stayed east of Texas and north of Brazil. At first it was easy to stay in one place for a while. Nobody dared contacting their families after Kimiko destroyed her old phone.  She had paid for 6 months of premium service on a prepaid phone, in cash.  She had gotten a few weird looks but the sales assistant rang her up and she now had a no strings attached phone for half a year.

Once the posters with Jack's picture started showing up they felt compelled to start moving around more often. Now Jack was openly being hunted.

They found themselves outside a small rural town somewhere in the eastern United States.

Jack for his part had improved as the weeks went on, He was accepting Clay's touch without flinching and tolerating Omi and Kimiko.

They were a lot to get used to. Even if he was aware of how they acted at show downs, honorable (mostly) and more verbally abusive than anything.

Still it had been such a long time since he'd been around anyone that was safe. Being hit, beaten, threatened, and molested were not at all uncommon in his old life. He didn't know what to do around anyone who wasn't going to hurt him in some way. He had major trust issues to work out.

They were hiding in an abandoned Junk yard. It was apparent that the owner had been murdered. The world had become a violent place. Two rabid rottweilers snarled and snapped at them until Omi got hold of them. He had been so excited to see the _'cute doggies'_ he had gone over and given them a large portion of their lunch.

Everybody was mad at him over that, but the dogs were gratefully licking their chops and soon despite Clay's warnings they were off the leash and playing with the young monk. Apparently they had been surprisingly well treated until their owner vanished. They were left tied up and unable to find food. The others didn't let their grudge carry over the food. They were hungry but the dogs might help alert them when intruders came in, and once freed of their leashes they could go hunt their own food.

Jack was sitting on the ground, tinkering with some car parts.   He had kept glancing at a rusty looking hull of an old convertible. Clay chuckled and walked off. Jack sighed and turned back to his work. He had to keep his mind busy or he got flash backs; besides, building them a new sweet ride might be useful. After all, as cool as it was, a giant flying dragon wasn't very inconspicuous.

Suddenly a loud grating noise startled everybody as Clay came back dragging the same old convertible Jack had been eyeballing. The junkyard had most of his needs covered for building a car. All the car parts he could ever want, and some of the tools he required. He had gone off on his own one day and scared the life out of everybody. He came back weighted down with a tool box, a welder and a few pudding cups. He had noticed a mechanic shop and a convenience store when they had done a fly by of the area.

He got a verbal lashing for leaving, but strangely it made him feel guilty rather than demeaned.  Unlike when Wuya had gone off on him. They were angry but they were also concerned. Clay had checked him over for a good ten minutes to make sure he was OK. He snapped a cup off the pack and handed the others to Clay.

"Sorry," he blushed and shuffled his feet, "I kinda needed this stuff...and there's more. I mean food. Its mostly junk food. The refrigerators are busted I wouldn't open them but there's chips and soda, and candy I kinda had my hands full with the tools though. I kinda just took the stuff since it looked like the town has been abandoned."

It was true. Lots of the smaller areas had become ghost towns. The world was starting to feel like one of those horror movies where something happened to kill most of the population off. God Jack hoped this didn't turn out to be a zombie flick. He shuddered visibly.

"You ok Jack?" Kimiko asked before Clay got the chance. He only looked a little miffed that she stole Jack's attention.

"Naw, nothing. Just thinking about zombies," Jack said and pushed past them to his little work area. The other three stared after him looking confused and mildly concerned for Jack's sanity. He dropped the heavy toolbox and gently set the blow torch on the make shift table of a couple of wooden crates about the same height and a large piece of thick ply wood.

"I think I'll wanna go back into town and scope things out more," Jack called over to the others and smiled behind his welding mask. He lit the blow torch and began working on some car part or another.

After that they had started frequenting the town. Clay helped Jack install the engine block in the repaired convertible. It still looked like crap but it was getting closer to looking like a real car. Jack was having a ball building his dream car. The three monks were actually quite fascinated by the process. Jack really was smart. It was like they never realized it...Jack had built all those robots, by himself, with his own two hands. Just like that, they all gained a new found respect for the tech wiz. Things were looking up for them.

 

* * *

 

...But then it happened...The first poster blew off of a building at Omi's feet. He picked it up and saw Jack's previously undamaged face. Dojo had been curled up on his shoulder and prompted Omi to go alert the others. He ran off through a small alley he had come from.  
Omi heard his rottweiler friends snarling and emerged from the alley he had been in.  He put Dojo on the ground.  He crept to the boarder of the dump. Jack was being held with his arm behind his back and a knife at his throat. Kimiko had her arms pinned behind her back and Clay was kneeling on the ground with a bloody nose. There were three of them. They were nobody Omi recognized but they must be strong to have bested his friend in hand to hand combat.

 

* * *

 

 

What had actually happened was that they spotted Jack rummaging in the town. Despite his scars he was recognizable from his poster picture. The three had been looking for some easy cash and thought this lily white little 'fag' looked easy enough. They followed him back to the dump and tried to snatch him. He screamed in terror and struggled for his life as visions of Raimundo played out in his head. Clay and Kimiko, heard him and came to the rescue, but were forced to hold back for fear the strangers would just slit Jack's throat.

 

* * *

 

 

"That's right 'broke back,'" The one holding Jack sneered and threw an insult that Omi didn't quite get. He just hoped they hadn't broken Clay's back, "Your little butt toy is coming with us and the girl... _ **Yeah.**_ " He licked his lips. "Yeah I can think of lots of things I'd like to do to that tight Asian pussy." Omi didn't know what a cat had to do with anything but he realized that Jack was being used as a shield. His arms were pulled back so tight that he could see the genius's heart thudding against his chest.

Neither Kimiko nor clay could defend themselves or rescue Jack when that knife was so dangerously close to his neck. The knife pressed into Jack's jugular.  Too dull to make a clean cut but sharp enough to rip through his delicate skin.

Fortunately, Omi hadn't been noticed. He used his tiger instincts to sneak up.  He drew on his element to manipulate all the nearby water.  The only water sources were greasy buckets that had collected rain water. Omi turned it on the one holding the knife. With a face full of nasty oily water the punk holding Jack dropped his knife and wiped at his face. Jack began struggling. Kimiko lost no time in igniting her hands and burning the one holding her back. Clay was on his feet Chest to chest with the one that had Jack. Clay's eyes seemed to glow with rage and his nostrils flared out. He had at least a few inches on the other man and definitely out ranked him in the muscle department. Clay grabbed the guy's neck.  Breathing hard through his nose trying to quell his anger before he killed the idiot that dared threaten his friends. The punk let Jack slip away and grabbed at Clay's fist. His feet left the ground and the cowboy was snarling at him.

The third one had dived for the knife laying at Clay's feet and Omi easily kicked it away and then rounded on him with a kick to the face that knocked him out cold.

"Nobody," Clay tightened his grip slightly. The punk's eyes bulged and he clawed helplessly at Clay's imposing fingers. Clay continued, "...And I mean **NO BODY** , ever messes with my friends and gits away with it." Clay let him go and the man fell to his knees coughing. The distinct smell of urine hit their noses as the man released his bladder.

Clay saw the bit of paper tucked in his pants. When he leaned in the other man tried to scream, but his ill used throat wouldn't allow it. Clay snatched the paper out of his pocket and looked at it. He crumpled the paper and cursed loudly. Nobody had heard such a word from the normally gentle mannered Texan.

Then Clay turned to see their other attackers incapacitated. He looked around to find Jack was gone. Well not gone exactly as his bright red hair peeked out of the window of his car. He was rocking himself and crying. Clay turned and kicked one that had hurt Jack right in the ribs. He felt absolutely no remorse as he felt bones crack, nor the scream from the raw throat of the man who had dared try to take Jack from him.

Clay nodded to his friends who were ensuring their new acquaintances were tied up. He jogged over to the car and put his hand on the door. Jack didn't stop his rocking. He was mumbling so quietly Clay had no idea what he was saying. He risked opening the door and putting a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. Jack screamed and scrambled across the seat to the passenger side of the car. His eyes were blurry and filled with tears.

"It's me Jack," Clay said in his softest tone. He reached out for Jack's shoulder and the albino flinched.  Those frightened garnet eyes peeked at him uncertainly.  Seeing the familiar cowboy hat with straw colored hair peeking out and sad baby blue eyes calmed Jack a tiny bit.  Clay slid into the driver seat and held his arms open. With little coaxing Jack dove into his chest and wailed. Sobs wracked his body. Kimiko and Omi looked over at the scene both fighting tears of anger and hurt. Jack never deserved that. He'd been getting better.

None of them knew if Jack would ever go back to the way he had been before; but anything was better than the pitiful creature that was clawing at Clay's arms, desperately trying to assure himself that he was safe again.

Long after the sun had set on them the boy was still trembling and even in his sleep he refused to budge from clay's lap. Clay patiently petted his hair. He wasn't going to complain.

Kimiko had a suspicion that the older teen might actually like being in that position. He always was very protective, now she was seeing a possessive side to that. Not just for Jack but for her and Omi. It didn't even bother her. She felt safer because of it. Clay loved her and Omi like family. But Jack was different.  She saw the stolen glances. How much was it going to hurt when Jack realized Clay wanted more than friendship? Not that she would blame him for being afraid of romantic affection but she didn't want to see Clay suffer when he had taken so many of their burdens.

 

* * *

 

 

When the three bandits awoke. Pain screaming in various parts of their bodies. They were untied and covered in blankets. Though that was all the kindness they were shown.  The kids they had attacked were long gone. The thought crossed their mind that even information about the weird goth kid might get them something.

The ringleader started to get up he heard the snarling of two very angry junk yard dogs.  They were angry because these men had driven their humans away. No more free scraps and no more tug-o-war with the little one. _Gasp_ , no more belly rubs or scratches behind their ears. They had really liked that little human too. These men would pay for losing them their favorite pet.


	4. A Puzzle to Their Solution

The car was a nice change of pace for them but the niggling in the back of all their minds was there, _'What do we do now?'_

They were driving down the back roads of America in their dull black mutt of a convertible.  Every chance Jack had, he improved it.  It was his dream car after all, it had to have cool gadgets.  He 'salvaged' where he could.

In people's hurry to flee less populated areas they left behind things of seemingly little value.  An out of date PC...ripped the silicon chips out of it and install them into a casing embedded in the dash.  An older touch screen tablet on that and you had a nice control system going for you.  There was room in the engine near the vents for extra batteries to be installed.  The batteries were kept cool with an external ventilation system.  The car's engine was Jack's own original design.

There was little of the original vehicle left but the body.  New Rims, new interior, the axle and shocks were replaced.  Having Clay Baily as your own personal human lift was pretty sweet too.  Jack fond himself admiring Clay more and more often.  He was kind yet stern.  He knew when to be gentle and speak softly.  He knew when to wield force.  He was fair minded...He was giving Jack a chance.

 _Why was Jack looking at Clay's 'good' qualities like they were admirable?_   Jack had no idea.  He was evil!  ...Or...well...he had been.  His evil identity had been marred, torn and thoroughly trashed.  He felt like a bit of a blank slate, and the fact that the Dragons were not looking down on him for his scavenging tendencies was nice.  He was sneaky and a thief but he never stole anything other than shen-gong-wu before.  He didn't feel guilty taking this stuff either.   It was survival.  Perhaps it had been hard on the others at first.  When they finished off the rations they had brought  they went half a day before giving in to Jack's suggestion to look for food in abandoned groceries, or even homes.  The food would rot eventually anyway they might as well use it.

The car parts were necessary too, but Jack had a photographic memory.  He remembered every place they took  things of value from.  He could afford to pay them back--if things ever went back to being normal.  At this point it was looking like they may have to learn to live in a world where people hide from one another, and flee to huge places where they could be swallowed in a sea of people.  Jack kinda didn't mind...He really actually liked this. The world had ended but he now had friends.

In one particular town the kids found an auto store.  The building had its windows all either painted black or smashed and covered with plywood.  It almost looked like there had been a standoff there.  There were bullet holes in the wood and some brown stains on the front walk.  Nobody stepped in them, instinctively knowing they were not mud.  If there were survivors they had cleared out.  In the back of the store, Jack spotted a nice set of reinforced steel titanium alloy rims that had been special ordered and would never be picked up because owner was either dead or had gone with everybody to the cities.

The cities were tempting.  Large numbers, promises of safety even the gullible only half believed, all the services that were being shut off in less populated areas simply because of the influx of new people into the more populated areas.  Those who tried to stay away were soon convinced by a well timed disappearance or murder.

Scavenging for car parts and technology was easy, but food was getting harder to find.

Jack was taking sandpaper to the shiny new rims then he slathered brown paint on them and sandpapered them again.  Everybody else thought he was crazy to destroy the brand new wheels.  He shook his head he his clueless loser friends, _'Ain't they cute.'_

"If it looks nice people would try to steel it and we haven't got any defense systems set up yet to prevent it," He explained in a voice that sounded like the old Jack, enough to elicit annoyed grunts from Kimiko and Omi.  Omi and Kimiko left them to their own company and went looking for food.  Maybe they would luck out and find some real food this time.  There was a grocery store in the town.  It may have something left.

Clay was happy to hear the 'old' Jack coming out.  Working on his inventions made Jack feel OK.  He tilted his hat down to hide the smile and the blush that rose on his cheeks when he watched the goth working on the car.  Jack was a darlin' when he was taking care of his car.  He babied it.

When he had finished his 'masterpiece'  the wheels looked rusty with black enamel chipping off.  If Clay wouldn't have known better he'd have thought Jack had ruined them but he leaned down and pushed on the rim putting his weight into it and they didn't give.  The paint didn't come off.  It was some enamel stuff Jack had been playing with that he had baked on with his blow torch.  Clay hated that torch though.  He kept picturing the boy burning his own fingers off.  He knew that was a ridiculous notion.  Jack was skilled with a welder, it was almost like he had been born with one in his hands.  He was in his element.  Clay chuckled to himself, "Jack Spicer, the Dragon of Junk."

"I can hear you, you know, and I'd prefer to think of it as scrap.  It's not junk unless you can't use it.  That radiator..."  Jack looked unimpressed as he thrust his thumb back toward a rusted out piece of metal with large holes in it.  "Call that junk if you want, but leave my baby alone," Jack snipped.

Clay couldn't help himself he leaned in behind the genius and said, "Should I call you mamma Spicer then?"

The genus shuddered at the closeness, he still half expected to see Raimundo.  He took a few quick breaths.  Jack turned and pushed the cowboy away, adopting a playful scowl.  He stuck out his tongue and rubbed his greasy fingers over Clay's cheek leaving a black smear on the boy's clean smooth freckled visage.

Jack cackled when Clay growled.  He took off through their current base, yet another dump.  This time there were no cute doggies and Omi had been very disappointed.

Jack ran through a valley between too massive mountains of tires.

The Texan chuckled and gave chase, "Git back here ya wily varmint."

"Neveh!"  Jack said mockingly and climbed to the top of a pile of old tires, "Ha, ha, ha, you will never get me from down from my vast mountain of rubber!"

Clay shook his fist and pretended to be angry and Jack cackled even louder.  He was laughing and waving a crescent wrench in the air triumphantly when suddenly the weight shifted in the stack.  Jack yelped as he disappeared over the side of the mound of rubber.

Clay screamed, "No!  Jack!"

He scrambled up the shifting pile and caught Jack's hand before he was swallowed up and crushed in a sea of tires.  His leg was caught.  He screamed in pain as two different tires had seemed to grab onto his leg and twist it in different directions.  Clay hit his fist with his hand and summoned a seismic shift to lift the earth under them and the tires.  The landslide stopped and gingerly Jack pulled his leg free.

"You idiot," Clay whispered in a harsh voice, "You gaw durn idiot.  You could have been killed!"

"I-I'm sorry,"  Jack whispered back, one arm wrapped around Clay's shoulder the other rubbing his leg which he didn't think had broken, thank god.

"You gaw durn fool."

"I'm sorry,"  Jack pleaded with the other boy.

Clay looked at him.  Jack was taken aback to see tears rolling over his plump cheeks.  Clay's jaw clenched and he grated his teeth, "You scared me,"  Clay sniffed and rubbed at his eyes, "Thought I lost you Jack."

Jack only gasped as Clay suddenly engulfed him in an hug.  He felt terrified at first but when he felt the other boy shaking like a leaf he hugged back patting Clay's shoulder as best as he could. The boy was so broad and muscular he couldn't quite reach all the way to his back in his position.

"Hey!"  The others shouted at them as they came running to the toppled tower of tires.

"What happened?  We heard screaming,"  Kimiko asked up at them.  She noted their position, but couldn't decipher what had happened from it.

Jack waved them off, "I was being an idiot, and caused a tire avalanche.  We're alright."

Clay squeezed Jack tight then loosened his grip before the other boy could start to complain about lack of air. He leaned back and held Jack's upper arms looking him over.

"Sure you're okay?" Clay asked hesitantly.  Jack nodded trying to stand.  He hissed when he put weight on his leg.  Clay lifted him in the air before he could say a word and jumped to the ground with a thud.

"Put me down Clay!"  Jack demanded.  I'm fine just a little bit so-  Ah!" Jack screamed when instead of putting him down he probed his knee.  He screamed again when the hand pressed on his ankle.

"I think ya sprained 'em you little varmint,"  He tsked.  His tears from earlier replaced with annoyance, "Least ways they don't seem broke."

He wrapped his large hand around the base of Jack's leg and gently squeezed it.  He continued up his leg.  Jack's legs were so skinny.  Clay felt like he could accidentally snap one of these thin appendages with the slightest pressure.

Why was someone like Jack always throwing himself into such dangerous situations?  He never even thought about it before they became somewhat like friends, but he was lucky not to have been killed before now.  Clay shook his head.  Jack was gonna be the death of him.  
Jack whimpered in pain at his examination, but Clay was certain there were no breaks.  They really had to wait and see and keep the boy off that leg for a couple days.  Jack whined when Clay carried him over to his beloved car and lay him in the back seat.  
"You stay offa that leg,"  Clay pointed two fingers to his eyes then back at Jack as he walked to the others to discuss something, probably deciding who was gonna go hunt up some gauze to bind his injuries and maybe...hopefully find something cold and pain reliever.  One of those instant ice packs would be nice...his leg was really starting to throb.

 

* * *

  
  
Raimundo paced the halls like a caged tiger ready to maul the first thing that got too close.   Why hadn't anything turned up yet?  
Someone was coming.  Light footsteps, like bare feet on the cool marble.  Wuya.  Raimundo melted into the shadows quickly.  She was talking to someone that Raimundo didn't recognize.  He was carrying a letter.

"So they were spotted in Maryland?  In the US?" She grabbed the paper.

"The one who turned in the information claimed that Jack was in the company of three others.  A Caucasian male about seventeen or eighteen years of age, approximately six feet seven inches, blond; and two Asian children.  The female was likely 15, long black hair pulled into pigtails, about five four.  The boy could have been 10 or younger, he was said to be bald with a tattoo on his forehead.

Those ages and the descriptions from the lone survivor are up for dispute.

The survivor claimed that a group had gone after him had tried to take Spicer by force, but were over powered.  He then claimed that the Monks turned wild dogs on the the group.  He was the only one who managed to escape.  That is also subject to dispute.  He was scratched up but there was no evidence of bite wounds on him.  He did have a large bruise on his neck, but that won't be troubling him any longer."  The figure smirked and lifted a brown sack up to show the woman.  Raimundo couldn't see what was in it but the red stains near the seams were definitely suspicious.

"I suppose we should check it out.  We need to take care of this mess,"  The woman sounded bored but she seemed tense.

Raimundo was willing to bet that if Jack had been returned to them he would have been delivered in a bloody burlap sack like that guy that had given information about him.  There was more to this then just not wanting Jack around.  Raimundo didn't know, but the fact that Jack had managed to escape despite the heavy guard said something, either about Jack's sudden competence at anything, or that Wuya was up to something bigger then trying to keep him happy.  Oh he was sure she was still on edge because of him.  She was right to be nervous.  He would kill her.  It was just a matter of time.  When he got Jack back safe and sound (or at least as safe and sound as one could be trapped with a lunatic) Raimundo fully intended to seize power and eliminate Wuya.  As long as she lives neither he nor Jack would be truly safe.

Raimundo took the poster he had saved from his pocket.  The photograph of Jack was not anything special.  It was just him looking bored and annoyed.  Raimundo caressed the copy of the picture.  He slinked away from Wuya and that stranger.  He crept back to his personal quarters.  He had packing to do.  He was going to put forth his own search effort.  He just needed some patsies to do the dirty work.  He couldn't possibly get close enough on his own to snatch Jack without a fight...But perhaps an old 'friend' of Jacks might be able to worm his way into their good graces by rescuing Jack from more of these poachers Raimundo wondered if Jack had been hurt. 

Was he afraid?  Did Jack ever think of him?  Could Jack forgive him, when he had been so fueled with rage and lust that he had gone completely insane?  Still he was at least a little cracked.  He had done horrible things to the other boy.  His heart ached.  He wanted his little pet back so badly.

 

* * *

 

  
Jack was Jostled awake by Clay's bumpy driving.  He looked up to see Omi's round face looking down at them and nearly rolled off the car's back seat into the floor.

"Do not move friend Jack,"  Omi warned him, "Clay told us you must stay off your leg in case it is broken."  
Jack nodded feeling rather embarrassed to be laying on Omi's lap.  Omi for his part seemed completely fine with it.

"Are you feeling well Jack?"  he asked squinting in the bright afternoon sun.

"Yeah,"  He whispered, "Little thirsty, but OK.

"If you think you can sit up without bendin' your knee it should be OK,"  Clay hollered back over the wind.  He kept his eyes trained on the road.  Jack nodded and leaned up.

"We have any water?"  Jacked asked half begging.  He turned slightly when a cool bottle was thrust at him.

"Here you go Jack,"  Omi smiled.  Jack turned awkwardly and accepted the water gratefully.

"Thanks,"  He chugged the water down to half a bottle before pausing to take a breath then he tried to situate himself so he was not crowding the younger boy in the back.  Kimiko's head was lulled to the side and Dojo was napping on her arm in the front passenger seat.  Jack tried to stretch but stopped suddenly.  He noticed the key ring.  He'd been the one to put the new ignition in, but the keys from the old worn-out one had been in the glove box.  They had a mini Rubik's cube on them.  It was a little faded but the springs still worked.  He'd even solved it while sitting in the drivers seat the night Clay had dragged the car into their little camp.

Jack gasped and straightened.  Why hadn't he thought of that before?

"Are you in pain,"  Clay called back peeking over his shoulder.

"The puzzle box,"  Jack uttered.

"What was that?"  Clay began to slow down until he came to a safe stop.

"The puzzle box!"  Jack yelled.

"Wha're ya talkin' about Jack?"  Clay was leaning back.  He looked confused and in Jack's opinion very cute.

Jack blushed slightly and ducked his head, but he continued to speak, "I released Wuya from a puzzle box.  She had been put there.  It was like a prison, and while it let her spirit survive it destroyed her body and stole her power.  Raimundo reversed the effects of the box using the serpents tail and the reversing mirror to give Wuya her physical form, but the box is destroyed...could there be more of those?"

"I-I don't know..."Clay's sudden hopeful look dropped a bit in doubt.

"It was made by Grand Master Dashi," Omi said.

Dojo snorted and opened his eyes, "...Someone mention Dashi?"

"Dojo,"  Jack addressed the small dragon, "Is there another puzzle box...like the one that I opened?  The one that had trapped Wuya before..."

Dojo shook his head, "Sorry kid.  It was one of a kind, and nobody but Dashi himself could make another. He's been gone for fifteen hundred years."

"Could?"  Jack began to ask, "Are there any wu that could let us communicate with the dead?  I mean maybe if this Dashi could tell me how I could make one, or modify some magic with technology..."

"I really don't think so..."

Jack held up his hand, "Give me a chance.  I made a shen-gong-wu detector!  If there's a way to simulate a magical effect using technology I can build it."

Dojo looked Skeptical.

"Kin it hurt?" Clay backed up Jack, "Not like we got many options.  We been doin' nothin' but runnin' fer weeks now.  Isn't it our job to protect to world?  Not trying Jack's plan is just like givin' up."

Dojo hung his head, "I suppose not...no you're right.  But how could we even...The thing is...as far as I know the only way to reach the spirit realm...the only way to reach Dashi at least would be through intense meditation."

"Oh,"  Omi chirped brightly, "I could definitely do that.  I shall start right now.  And soon I will know how to build the puzzle box and instruct Jack!"  Omi was already crossing his legs and getting into a meditative pose.

"Sorry Omi,"  Dojo shook his head at the boy, "Omi cracked his eyes open at the sound of his name."

"Couple things wrong with that are; one, it has to be the person who will make the box; two, this isn't any ordinary meditation.  The person who has to meditate must be isolated from any human contact, they must not eat or drink anything for however long it takes to make contact, and they must have the spiritual discipline to maintain the meditative pose for hours, even days.  If the slightest thing goes wrong your spirit might lose its way on the astral plane, or the strain could kill the person who attempts it.  No offense Jack, but you were hardly in peek condition even before Raimundo defected."  Dojo didn't even seem to notice Jack's flinch when he mentioned Raimundo.  He wasn't intending to make Jack feel inferior, or to criticize him in anyway, but this was dangerous business.  Even Master Fung would have trouble with this level of meditation.

"I-I'll do it.  Its because of me that she's free now," Jack said with a shaky voice.

"Ya-ya' can't,"  Clay said in a tone that confused Jack.  It was gentle, but there was something about it that made Jack's heart hurt.

"What else can we do?"

"What about the sands of time?" Omi asked.

"We don't have it..."  Dojo lemented,  "I have no idea if we could get it in time to prevent Wuya's take over.  You have noticed the days getting shorter.  It was always dark at her fortress, the further we went from the center of her power the more normal things seemed, but now her influence is catching up to us.  Its slow but not slow enough.  ...And even if we did get it, its a one way trip."

"I said I'd do it,"  Jack said in a firm voice, "I realize the risk, but what's life without the risk.  This guy Dashi..he's not some horrible monster from beyond that's going to try to eat my soul or something...right?"  The last was spoken with a hint of real worry.

Suddenly Jack felt hands on his.  Clay was practically kneeling in the front seat as he turned to clasp Jack's long delicate fingers in his work roughened hands.

"You don't gotta do this," Clay was pleading with him, "There's another way.  We have to believe that."

Jack looked at the horizon the thin line of blackness there was worrisome.  That was not normal...that was black magic.  Jack squeezed his hands and smiled weakly, "I do though.  I have to.  Otherwise she'll kill us all."

Clay wanted to deny it, to say they could run and hide for the rest of their lives, but that made him feel like a gutless worm.  They had to do something, but why did it have to put Jack in danger once again.  He refused to let denial creep in.  Not just about Wuya, but about them.  He cared for Jack.  He loved Jack.

"If you do this you better come back or I'm commin' in to git you and I'll be mighty angry if I do," Clay pulled his hands free of Jacks only to put them on the back of Jack's neck.  He didn't kiss Jack; though he wanted to; but he pressed his forehead to the smaller boy's and stared deep into those soft red eyes.  The world stopped for a minute, and a magic all their own surrounded them for that split second.  Jack nodded not breaking eye contact.

Dojo cleared his throat and the boys separated.

"OK what do I need to do?"  Jack asked.  He felt his stomach turning into knots and he didn't know weather it was fear or some residual feeling from whatever the hell had just happened to him.  To them.

Dojo slithered over to Jack and looked at Clay, then Omi, then Kimiko (who was still asleep,) "I'll take Jack somewhere safe where he can be alone.  I promise to guard him with my life.  But you must not know where he.  Don't even try to think of him for more then a few minutes if you can.  You have a connection...a strong one.  It could cause Jack to become lost.  If that happened he may never find his way back."

"What does that mean?"  Clay asked fearfully.

"Jack would--he'd become a lost soul.  He would eventually forget everything and then fade from existence all together,"  Dojo warned. 

He looked at Clay then  at Jack who was starting to look a little green, "You must focus Jack.  You should start mentally preparing for this.  Think only of Dashi and of the puzzle box.  Let Dashi help you find the way and he will guide you."

"Oh-OK,"  Jack answered.  Dojo began growing right there in the car.  Jack yelped when the dragon's tail gingerly lifted him up and placed him right behind his head.  They flew away so quickly that Jack didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

Clay gasped silently, but he minded what Dojo had said.  He'd be damned if he got that boy lost in eternity.

"We should find a place to stay and wait," Omi said solemnly.  He was young but in one of his rare moments he reminded Clay of Master Fung.  He looked so old for a boy of 12.  Clay nodded.  They let Kimiko sleep.  They would fill her in once she awoke, but there was no point in waking her right then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I have the chronology of the story a bit out of order I hope it's okay anyway.


	5. Hopeful

Jack shivered.  Perched atop Dojo was rather cold without a hotblooded Texan to lean against.  He hummed to himself.  They had not spoken much since taking off.  Dojo cleared his throat, startling Jack.

"Dojo?" Jack leaned against the dragon's head.

"We need to talk about this," He sounded hesitant.

"I'm not changing my mind," Jack scratched the Dragon's head.  
Dojo shivered in pleasure, he tilted his head back, "Don't try to distract me...but, no, I'm not trying to talk you out of this.  I just want to go over the game plan.  Such deep meditation takes years to perfect, so we are going to cheat."  
Jack stopped scratching.  He almost smirked, "You cheating?  That sounds kind of evil."

"Not so much cheating then, I guess,"  Dojo reasoned, "More like getting a little help.  There's a place not far from the temple.  A hidden shrine in the mountains.  It was Dashi's private sanctum.  I'm the only other being to know of it.  It's sacred but it also has a strong connection to Dashi.  He went there whenever he had to do some serious thinking.  You will have to participate in a ritual cleansing to be able to enter the shrine, and your intentions must be noble in nature to even approach it."  
Jack hummed and started to scratch at Dojo's large neck.  He heard a quiet purr emanate from the giant flying serpent.

"You are really good at that,"  The dragon praised, blushing furiously.  He cleared his throat, "...Anyway...The cleansing involves bathing in the waters of a spring.  It's in the mountain and you...well guess it's going to get cold, but It's necessary to help clear your mind."

"OK," Jack nodded.

"This isn't going to be easy," Dojo added.

"My life hasn't exactly been easy Dojo," Jack retorted, "I-I can handle being cold and wet."

"How's your leg feeling?" The dragon asked.

Jack rolled his eyes, "It hurts, but I can deal. ...Will I have to sit with my legs crossed?"

"The lotus position?  It's traditional.  The pose helps center you but you can sit with your legs straight.  This isn't even a sure fire thing...No offense, but having been on the Heylin side you might not even be able to get near the entrance."

"Only one way to find out,"  Jack scooted closer to Dojo's head, shielding himself from most of the wind.  He Yawned, "Yaaaa-Dojo I'm going to catch a nap if that's ok with you."

"Go right ahead," The dragon agreed.  He gnashed his teeth in worry.  This was going to be hard.  The genius had no idea how demanding, how improbable, it was for him to succeed.

 

* * *

 

Raimundo had his things packed and waiting but he needed to do one last thing.  He marched to Wuya's personal quarters.  As expected she was leaning over a table, looking at a map.

"If we only had the Eye Spy Orb,"  She muttered.  Raimundo noticed the map was one of the United States.  Red marks peppered the north eastern coast.

"What'cha lookin' at Wuya?"  Raimundo feigned curiosity.

The witch jumped at his question.  She turned to the boy almost nervously, "Nothing of consequence."  She let the map roll up.

"What, may I ask, are you doing here Raimundo?"  Her voice a coctail of annoyance and false ingratiation.

"Mmm," Rai held his arms behind his back and rocked on his feet, "I was wondering...Why you've been lying to me." His casual pose and tone belied the internal rage, "I know you know something about my...about Jack."

"What of it boy?"  She dropped her saccrine tone and glared.

"No, no, no...that's not all.  You've poisioned my mind.  You..." He bared his teeth, "Tell me you made me do...those things...to Jack!"  
The witch smirked.  A noise bubbled up from her chest, chuckling morphed into Cackles.  She finished with a soft snort, "You think I made you do anything?  The only thing I did was tempt you.  YOU chose evil Raimundo.  You picked Jack...I don't know why you would want that worm-"

The wind picked up and Raimundo's eyes glowed like hard gems.  He grabbed the witch's cloak and pulled her down to his level, "Don't talk about Jack like that!"

Wuya's eyes widened.  Raimundo's power ebbed and curled around the two of them.  The harsh wind blew the map and the rest of the contents off the table and stole her breath.  In fact she could feel her breath being drawn out of her body.  Something this boy sould not be able to do.  Suffocating and trying to gasp for air, "I can fix Jack...make him loyal."  
Raimundo let go of her and the winds calmed.  She felt her lungs filling and sighed.

"What can you do?"

"Imagine a willing, wanton living sex doll,"  She smirked even as she panted, "Pliant and obedient."

Rai frowned, "I don't want a toy I want Jack.  I want him to like me, love me."

"I can't make someone love you.  You want love maybe you should have not enslaved the boy.  Besides LOVE is for weak minded fools.  It has no place on the Heylin side," Wuya folded her arms over her chest glaring at the insolent wind dragon.

Raimundo growled and the witch felt her lungs expanding painfully.  She wasn't even sure the boy was doing this intentionally.  She coughed holding her ribs, "I could wipe his memories away...I could even erase the scars...though I think he looks almost fetching with them."  She gulped.  She was sure her lungs were about to collapse.  The pressure was gone.  She nearly vomited the excess air.

"Make it happen," Rai commanded and the witch almost backhanded him.  She recognized though that the boy's untapped potential could be molded in her favor if she simply gave him his desire.

"When we find him,"  She promised.

"That's not a problem.  I'm going to find him," Raimundo declared, "I don't trust your minions not to hurt him," He turned and started out of the room.  Wuya frowned deeply.  He was potentially the strongest of the dragons, the most in tune with his element.  Even more so than Omi.  He was also corruptible and swayed by worldly things.  She saw the next Chase Young in him.  That had her worried.  The wind whipped and the map laying on the floor was drawn to the young man.  Taking it from the ground; he turned and set his eyes on her, "I'll be taking this.  Don't interfere."

Even His arrogance reminded her of the Warlord.

 

* * *

 

The dust picked up on the gravel road.  They had driven deep into the isolated countryside.  Clay yawned and covered his mouth with one hand as he steered Jack's car.

"You should rest clay," Kimiko insisted, "I can drive."

"You are fifteen," Clay shook his head, "...And..." A yawn interrupted his objection.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Not like it matters if I don't have my license yet.  We need to stop if you're going to be this stubborn.  You need sleep."

Clay grit his teeth.  He knew she was right but he was afraid...afraid of his dreams.  They had not even been a day without Jack and Dojo and he had to fight the urge to think of Jack.  To worry.  To dream of all the horrible things that could happen to Jack.  He saw a grassy field that gently sloped from the road.  He made the decision to pull off, "Fine we can make camp here."

Hitting the breaks Jostled Omi who had been sleeping, "Huh?"  Sleep clung to him like a wet rag.  He rubbed his eyes and blinked.

"Good morning Omi,"  Kimiko greeted.  It was technically still morning for a few more minutes, but none of them were keeping a proper sleep schedule these days.  It was hard, especially since they had been encountering more people and well the ones that stayed, _that hadn't gone into the cities_ , were dangerous.  Crazy, or corrupted, or worse.  The children took turns keeping watch at night.    
They slowly piled out of the car.  Clay started clearing grass to make a fire pit. The field was bordered by thick woods. It was lush and green, still damp with morning dew despite the sun beating down.

The woods seemed a likely spot for some hunting.  He could ask Omi to search for running water like a stream or river.  He was not familiar with the area.  They were somewhere in West Virginia. Up at the very most northern point, nestled between Ohio and Pennsylvania. Clay took a long breath.  The area was ethereal in its beauty.  Only the dark sky marred the ascetic.  It wasn't Texas, but it wasn't too bad.  There weren't as many cities around.  The populace was smaller and maybe a bit meek compared to the north east.  They had made the right decision driving inland.  They had faith that Dojo would be able to find his way back to them.  With Dojo's keen eye he was sure the Dragon would pick up on the trail markers he had left behind.

Clay felt his mind turning to the taboo subject of Jack Spicer once again and he quickly redirected his attention.

"Kimi, Omi, I'm gonna go get us some fire wood," Clay called to his friends, "Why don't you two see if you kin find some water around here?"

"With my skills it should be a most easy task," Omi bragged, "I assure you I shall-"

Sensing that Clay needed some alone time; Kimiko grabbed his hand and dragged him away, "Come on Omi."

Holding hands with the Japanese girl left the young monk blushing, and tongue tied.

Clay ambled slowly toward the tree line.  He brushed his hands over the bark.  The earth spoke to him, was him...Just as Water called to Omi; Fire caressed Kimi like a close friend; and even Raimundo was the wind,  it wrapped him like a soft cloak and yet lashed violently at his enemies.  Clay sighed and leaned against the tree.  "Lord give me strength.  I don't know how much more I can take."  Tears leaked out of his eyes but he bit the inside of his cheek refusing to fall into despair.  The boy, nearly a man, pushed away from the rough surface, "I best git to findin' that fire wood."  He headed off into the thicket silent and subdued.

 

* * *

 

In the wee hours of the morning, illuminated by the coppery light of an old lamp post, two men waited at a private air strip.  They came packed for a trip, as instructed.  Le Mime rocked on his heels and pretended to whistle, though no sound came from him.

Tubbimura wondered if the man were truly mute or simply never broke character.  Perhaps being so dedicated to the law of the Mime is how the Frenchman had attained his mime magic.  The ninja cleared his throat, "Do you think that this is a trap?"

He looked at his silent companion, waiting for a gesture or other sign.  The mime shrugged his shoulders and stuffed his hands into his pockets.  He continued his 'whistling.'  Then he patted his shirt and withdrew an invisible object from a non-existent pocket...or objects as it were. He separated them and mimed opening one of them then he began to whittle what the Japanese man imagined was a block of wood.

They continued waiting in the quiet of the new day.  The misty air was pregnant with dread.  The French mime was tracing the lines of the invisible object he was carving.  He rubbed his thumb over it gently then took a breath and blew imaginary sawdust off the item.  A set of tires screeched loudly behind them.  Le Mime winced and opened his hands.  His glove had a tiny tear and blood welled in a nick in his left pointer finger.  The man folded the invisible knife closed and scowled.

"Well...I'm glad to see you decided to come,"  Raimundo's tone was arrogant.  He exited the cherry red convertible, "Glad I don't have to kill you.  I remember Jack seemed almost fond of you Mime."

The the mime scowled, but he had no choice.  He didn't need a mind reading shen-gong-wu to know that the boy was bad news for Jack.

"Well we can't stand around here all day we have an albino to catch,"  The boy rubbed his hands together.  The eagerness in his voice, that bordered on hungry, worried both of the other Heylin.  Being evil was one thing...and really who said they were evil just for the sake of evil, but they were not interest in seeing Jack come to harm.  The redheaded genius was not only a sometimes ally, but maybe potentially a friend. One that needed rescuing. Even If they had to play along with the unbalanced Brazilian teen to get close to Jack.


	6. Mind your footing

Clay poked the fire waiting for Kimiko and Omi to return, hopefully with water.  He sighed and patted his pocket.  There was a packet of beef jerky, the last of their food.  He thought of making it into a soup, but if they were lucky they would find a creek or river with fish or crawdads, heck.  Even frog legs sounded good at this point.  He wished he knew more about plants. He was savvy enough to avoid poison Ivy and poison oak, but identifying edible plants was not his forte.  If they ever had a chance he would like to find a book on foraging.

"We found water!"  Omi called happily.  He ran  to the campfire with a bucket sloshing about, if it weren't for his connection to water he probably wouldn't have managed to bring a full bucket, but as the water threatened to spill it rolled on the edge as if there was an invisible wall around the bucket.  He set the bucket down and not a drop spilled.

"Where'd you get that Pard..."

The water looked clean, almost like tap water, not to mention that they only had a canteen and some plastic bottles..  
Kimiko panted as she ran to catch up, "There's a well...and a cabin not very far from here.  Omi sensed the ground water and we sort of borrowed the bucket. I figured they wouldn't mind...the Cabin looks abandoned, anyway."

"Well, I expect we should check it out,"  Clay rubbed his chin and looked to the two younger kids.  Omi nodded enthusiastically.

"Lets wait a bit," Kimiko took a seat next to the fire, fanning her face, "I need a rest."

Clay nodded in agreement, "I reckon that's a good idea."

The three sat there watching the fire, trying not to think of Jack.

 

  
Dojo landed and shook himself gently to wake Jack.

"Huh!"  He started and slipped off of the great dragon's back.

"We're here,"  He shrank to his compact size, "You will have to leave your things here.  Your clothes, and any gadgets you might have on you.  You take only yourself in."

Dojo sounded resigned...and Tired.  Very tired.

  
Jack looked around nervously almost hysterically.  He hugged himself and whispered harshly, "You're safe here, He's not here, you are safe **_HERE!_** "  He looked around and frowned.  There was a pool, a crystal clear spring, but there was no shrine.

"So where is this place?  I don't see an alter or a temple, or even a cave," Jack sat and gingerly slipped his boots off.  He hissed in pain.  His knee was swollen and his ankle was puffy.  Both were tender without touch and searingly painful as he tugged his socks off, "Ah!"  He yelped as he jarred his injuries. He slowly lowered himself to the ground; wincing and hissing, face pinched in agony.

"Maybe you could..." Dojo started looking concerned.

"If you're going to say anything but how I find this damn shrine thing then save it!" Jack bit out and straightened.  He blushed in-spite of himself as he removed his jacket and started to strip off his top, "He's not here! _He'snothere-he'snothere-he'snothere_ , **He is not here!** "  He chanted as he stripped.

"You going to be OK Kid?" Dojo worried his teeth nervously.

"Ah!  Um yeah!  I'm...I'm fine,"  Jack shivered hard and he didn't know if it were due to his irrational terror or the frosty wind.  He glanced at Dojo and sighed.  The dragon was safe.  He was safe.  Raimundo was not going to Jump out at him.  There was nowhere but the pool for the Brazilian to hide.

Dojo nodded toward the pool as Jack struggled to peel his jeans off.  He was trying not to stare, but Jack's leg was noticeably swollen.

The dragon wanted to stop Wuya, but he didn't want Jack to endanger himself.  He's had it hard enough.

Jack fished an orange packet from one of his pockets. Jack unfolded it until it revealed a blaze orange plastic bag with a drawstring.  He stuffed his clothing into it and drew the string taught.  A faint smile on his face, "Always be prepared, and I wasn't even a boy scout."  He set the bag on the shore weighed down by a rather large rock he happened to find by the pool.

Dojo slithered to the water's edge, "The spring is fed from a system of caves.  It's the only way in.  I said you will have to bathe in the spring.  That is true, but only if your intentions are honorable can you find the passageway.  Any with less than honorable intentions...well lets hope you just can't find the entrance and we go back to America."

"What...What happens if I find the passage, but...I'm um...not worthy?" Jack asked hugging himself.  He shuffled closer.  His feet ached almost as much as his knee and ankle.

"How afraid are you of drowning?"  Dojo asked.

Jack bit his lip and shook his head, "Never mind.  Let's get this over with."  He dipped his big toe in, a yelp caught in his throat as pins and needles of ice attacked his nerves.  He stepped in, hissing at the biting cold, "H-how is this not frozen?"  Jack's teeth chattered.  Jack waded to the center.  he looked to Dojo who hesitated before joining the genius, "Holy Cannoli!  I f-forgot how c-c-c-cold th-th-this water is."

Jack chuckled to himself and continued to wade to the center. It seemed shallow; and the crystalline water, except for the small ripples he and the dragon created, was mirror smooth.  Suddenly Jack was under water. A deep hole he hadn't even seen swallowed him.  He fought his terror.  His air escaped and he started swimming after the bubbles.  He surfaced and gasped.  "I th-think I f-f-found it."

Dojo only nodded and dove.   Jack took a huge gulp of air then followed him.

* * *

 

 

Rai felt the jet roll to a stop.  The mime was reading an invisible magazine and the fat ninja was snoring lightly.  Le Mime gently elbowed Tubbimura. The ninja snorted and looked around.  Raimundo sighed.  He hoped the two of them would be more competent and co-operative than they seemed.  As long as they led him to Jack that was all that mattered.  When the were no longer useful then he could dispatch them.  It all depended on how things went down.

Jack was still out there somewhere; vulnerable, not alone, but not safe.  The other Xiaolin Dragons were protecting them but there were so many ways things could go sideways.  "I'm going to find you and things will be different.  I promise I'll be better,"  He vowed to himself.  The three villains disembarked.  A car was waiting.  A man in a dark suit opened the door for them and waited at attention.  Raimundo smirked.  Being a bad guy had definite advantages.

 

* * *

  
  
Jack surfaced gasping for air.  He hauled himself out of the pool with a loud splat.  He hugged himself rubbing his bare arms.  A whistle escaped his throat that might have been a scream if he had any excess air to expel.  Dojo slithered over, worry marring his features.  He opened his mouth.  Jack thought he was going to speak but he exhaled hot air.  Blow-drying the boy.  The air was smoky but he could hardly complain.  It was beautifully, wonderfully warm.  The teenager managed to pull himself together.   He was surprised it wasn't pitch black.  There were luminescent crystals dotting the walls and surprisingly a torch sat ablaze on the wall.  It provided light and warmth in the small enclosure.

  
Still out of breath but feeling much better.  Jack dragged himself to his feet,"So what do I do?"

Dojo waved a hand, indicating he should follow and slid across the floor.  There was a darkened tunnel and another torch in the distance.  Jack followed in silence.  The dragon nodded his head to a little natural shelf in the wall.  Jack shrugged and slid up onto the bench like raised area.

"What do I do?"  He looked to the small dragon.

"Just close your eyes and breath.  In....and out...in...and out...in...out...in...out.  Good just like that.  Relax...focus, picture the puzzle box you released Wuya from. Think about the creator of the box.  Think of asking him for assistance...Remember  what it looked like.  How it felt in your hands.  Picture the pieces moving under your fingers.  Sliding, shifting.  Remember it's weight,  the carvings, the texture, the smooth polished jade.  Think of the man who made the puzzle.  You'd like to meet that man.  Ask him how he created it.  You need his assistance.  Call out to him..."

Dojo watched the boy. His eyes were clenched and his hands held together as if he were clutching his hands over an imaginary box.  Pushing invisible panels to their proper place.  Dojo sighed this place was connected strongly to Dashi.  Hopefully he would hear and guide the boy.

Jack was unaware when the dragon stopped speaking.  He's only been there a minute or so.  He was remembering solving the puzzle all over again.

 _'Hey, you solved that puzzle box?  You must be pretty clever,'_ A whisper came into Jack's head and he startled.  Jack opened his eyes.  He was surrounded by complete darkness.  He couldn't even see his hands in front of his face.  Panicking he spun and looked around frantically, _'Hey not that way. Jack, is it? Turn around and look at your feet.'_

"How can I see my feet with no light,"  The boy complained but obeyed the voice none the less.

He looked down and there was a path, a well lit dirt path.  Bordered in nothingness.  Jack turned to look to his left.  He felt fingers trailing down his spine, and shuddered.

"Don't look there!  Only Look forward!  Never back, never to the side.  The path is narrow and the shadows hunger for wayward souls,"  The voice was much louder, and sounded almost angry.

Jack shuddered.  He kept his eyes on the path after that.  One foot in front of the other.  Mindful of the shadows, but unwilling to risk looking again.  He made his way along the path, into the void.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been gone so long. I hope this chapter is adequate. I kinda had to re-rewrite it because I dropped my laptop after I finished the chapter and I had to do a hard reboot. I was stupid and forgot to save. I was so disheartened I hadn't wanted to touch the story for a while.
> 
> Anyway...
> 
> Thanks so much for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this. I know it was terrible but I kind of wanted to preserve the awfulness. Also I may shorten the fic from the original 10 chapters I've only managed to salvage 3 full chapters and a partial one of the original 10. For some reason chapter 2 was cut off about a third of the way through. I'll do my best to recreate and improve the story. Now only about 5 or 6 of the chapters ever got posted in the first place. I got flamed pretty hard over this story and I was really sensitive back in the day (still am to be honest), but I'll take and appreciate criticism.


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